The present application is generally directed to SCUBA equipment and is more particularly directed to securing and donning SCUBA equipment.
There have been a number of advances directed to securing, transporting and donning SCUBA equipment. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,007 to Rohatensky discloses a scuba rack for holding four scuba tanks with backpacks and regulators attached securely in place. The scuba rack is designed for securing scuba or diving tanks, with accessories attached, in an automobile, on the deck of a boat, raft or the like. A flat bottom support has four shallow cylindrical recesses in its upper surface for accommodating the bottoms of four scuba or diving tanks. The cylindrical recesses are symmetrically arranged about a rigid vertical upright post extending centrally from the bottom support. Four flexible straps are attached to the upper portion of the vertical upright and can be stretched to loop over the valve units of the respective diving tanks to force them inwardly against the vertical upright and downward securely against the bottoms of the cylindrical recesses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,935 to Hadachek discloses a scuba cylinder retention rack designed to be portable and keep the cylinders in an upright position during storage or transport. The rack is designed for use in the bed of a pickup having a permanent mounting edge, but can be used anywhere a similar edge or fixture is found or installed. The vertical tube from the headpiece fits inside the vertical tube of the base and meets the spring that is housed in the base tube. When the headpiece is forced downward, the spring is compressed and the unit can be placed under the edge of the pickup bed or similar fixture. As the downward pressure on the headpiece is released, the unit expands and the edge holder on the rear of the headpiece contacts the mounting fixture. The expansion force of the spring keeps the unit securely in place. The cylinders can then be positioned in the unit and secured with a rubber strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,721 to Cummings discloses an apparatus that is positionable in a boat for holding at least one scuba tank. The apparatus includes a receptacle, a cover covering the receptacle interior and having holes for receiving scuba tanks, and lock plates adjustably mounted on side walls of the receptacle for engagement with the boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,885 to Porada discloses a plurality of interlocking rigid base sections that are insertible laterally across the floor of a dinghy and over both inflatable side tubes of the dinghy. Each base section includes a support for holding a scuba tank in an upright position. Each such support is secured to a rail, running front-to-back along the axis of the dinghy, to which the base sections are secured. The interlocking inserts provide for the secure transporting of scuba tanks in a manner that occupies little space and provides for increased stability for the dinghy.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,890 to Stokes discloses a support rack for use on a watercraft to hold several scuba gear and other equipment such as dive tanks, lights, radar, spear guns and a dive flag. The rack has oppositely disposed base members and a bridge structure including opposite vertical portions each attached to and extending upwardly from one of the base members. The rack also has a horizontally extending portion integral with upper end zones of the vertical portions. The opposite base members removably mount to the watercraft to support the bridge structure above the stern or gunwale. Mounting structures are provided on the base members and bridge structure for holding the gear on the rack.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0005390 to DeRocher discloses a free-standing rack for hanging and supporting scuba diving or other wet equipment when not in use and particularly during cleaning, drying and storage thereof. The rack includes at least three support legs extending from a top point and a plurality of dive equipment holders attached to at least one of the supporting legs at points along its length. The rack provides a free-standing, stable structure that can be collapsed for storage when not in use and quickly and easily expanded for use in a variety of locations. The rack is storable and portable in its collapsed state. The rack is also portable in its expanded state, even with equipment supported thereon.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2004/0145282 discloses an assembly for securing SCUBA gear on a boat without increased use of deck space. A platform is disposed above the deck of a boat and a retainer is disposed above the platform. An opening, disposed within the retainer, is dimensioned to receive a SCUBA tank therein. The platform may form the upper surface of a cabinet, the cabinet having at least one SCUBA tank supporting member therein. The SCUBA tank supporting member also has a radiused surface for securely retaining the SCUBA tank within the cabinet. The support member has a first end and a second end, the first end being higher than the second end.
In spite of the above advances, there remains a need for devices for storing, transporting and donning SCUBA equipment, and especially for facilitating unassisted donning of SCUBA equipment. There particularly remains a need for devices that enable divers to don SCUBA tanks without requiring the assistance of a second person. In addition, there remains a need for a device that enables a diver to don a SCUBA tank, without assistance, while in an upright position.